Suspected Salmonella Sickens 100 Shinnecock Nation Members, Sending 57 to Hospital

Q: A festival or a funeral: which gathering sparked the devastating Shinnecock salmonella outbreak?

The outbreak appears to have been sparked primarily by a funeral repast, not the music festival. Shinnecock Nation leaders said most of the more than 100 people who fell ill had attended a June 30 funeral meal for a tribal member. Symptoms began soon afterward, and health officials collected leftover food from that gathering for testing, making it the main focus of the investigation. The Palm Tree Music Festival, held on June 27 on Shinnecock territory, is also part of the inquiry. Some attendees reportedly developed similar symptoms, and investigators are examining whether food from the festival may have been served later at the funeral or whether the two events shared a contaminated food source. So while the festival remains a possible link in the chain of contamination, the funeral gathering is the event most directly tied to the outbreak based on the evidence available so far.

3 articles · Updated · 27east.com · Jul 10

More than 100 Shinnecock Nation members have fallen ill in the past week in a suspected salmonella outbreak, with severe stomach pain, nausea and dehydration reported across the community.
Stony Brook Southampton Hospital said it has treated 57 people with symptoms consistent with salmonella infection since July 1; most were discharged after care.
Tribal members said at least a few patients were admitted and kept overnight, indicating some cases were serious enough to require extended treatment.